Blessed Franz Jagerstatter was executed Aug. 9, 1943, for his refusal to serve a second tour of duty in the Nazi army. His stance was unsupported by his parish priest, diocesan bishop and Catholic friends. He was beatified Oct 26, 2007, in Linz. May 21 is his feast day.

Bishop Taban honored for promoting peace

Pax Christi International also reports that Bishop Paride Taban, retired bishop of Torit, South Sudan, received the Sergio Vieira de Mello Prize from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his work in creating the Holy Trinity Peace Village for orphaned children in Kuron, South Sudan.

The award was presented March 1 in Geneva during the annual lecture sponsored by the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation. The foundation was established to carry out the peacebuilding work of de Mello, one of 22 United Nations workers killed during the 2003 bombing of the U.N. compound in Baghdad.

Bishop Taban is a member of Pax Christi International’s advisory board and the village is a member organization of the worldwide Catholic peace group.

Pope John wrote the document as Catholic Church leaders met in the midst of the Second Vatican Council. In the encyclical he emphasized the rights of people to live peacefully without fear of war or violence and that all people must be assured of having access to basic needs such as housing, food and health care. He also challenged the world’s nation to end their dependence on nuclear weapons as a deterrence to war and to work ensure the rights of all people.

The United States, as the world’s largest arms dealer, pushed for the treaty’s passage and co-sponsored it despite pressure from pro-gun ownership groups to scuttle it. The groups maintained that the treaty could be invoked to control arms sales within the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that would not be the case, explaining that it covered only international deals.

The legal arms trade accounts for about $70 billion in sales annually. The treaty covers attack helicopters, tanks and other larger arms as well as small arms and ammunition for such weapons.

Under the agreement, nations are required to determine whether an arms shipment to another country would be used to commit atrocities or violate human rights or if they could be diverted for such purposes and report back to the U.N. on their efforts.

From Pope Benedict’s announcement that he would resign, to Pope Francis’ celebration of Easter Mass: images of one of the most extraordinary papal transitions in history — narrated by participants and first-hand observers.